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Florence County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Florence County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court for Florence County |
| Filing office | Florence County Register in Probate |
| Courthouse address | Florence County Courthouse, 501 Lake Avenue, Florence, WI 54121 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 410, Florence, WI 54121-0410 |
| Phone | (715) 528-3205 |
| Fax | (715) 528-5470. Local Rule 2(a) does not allow filing probate papers by fax. |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call (715) 528-3205 before traveling, especially near a holiday or near closing time. |
| Fee | Through October 31, 2026, Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2 sets the estate fee at $20 when property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value when it is more. Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. The fee is paid when the inventory or other value statement is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). The separate e-filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)). |
| Local forms | Florence County publishes no local probate packet or cover sheet. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms. |
| E-filing | Attorneys must register and opt in to e-filing under Local Rule 5(a) and Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a). Self-represented filers may use e-filing voluntarily or file on paper by traditional methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c)). |
| Case search | Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. A probate case may have a PR or IN case-type code. |
| Remote appearance | Local Rule 5(d) requires a written request for Zoom using CCAP forms GF-306 and GF-307. Telephone appearances are not allowed without court permission for extenuating circumstances. |
| Website | https://www.florencecountywi.com/departments/clerk-of-courts/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Florence County, make a working list of the accounts, debts, vehicles, real estate, beneficiary designations and jointly held property. Wisconsin fees, notices and form choices depend on what is actually subject to administration, so asset discovery is the first practical step in estate settlement.
Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they choose a Wisconsin probate path. That matters in Florence County because the same counter handles the estate file, the mail goes to P.O. Box 410, and the statewide forms need to match the property you have found.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Florence County probate filings go to the Florence County Register in Probate at the Florence County Courthouse, 501 Lake Avenue in Florence. The county's municipalities are Aurora, Commonwealth, Fence, Fern, Florence, Homestead, Long Lake and Tipler.
Florence and Forest counties share one circuit under Wis. Stat. § 753.06(9)(c), but each county keeps its own courthouse and probate counter. A Florence County estate is filed in Florence.
Wisconsin places a proceeding for administration of a decedent's estate in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent had no Wisconsin domicile, the case may be in any Wisconsin county where the decedent's property is located, and the court that first exercises jurisdiction has exclusive jurisdiction (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether the estate belongs in Florence County. Use the county of domicile at death under Wis. Stat. § 856.01, then gather asset and debt information before choosing informal administration, formal administration or a statewide summary route.
- File the original will when Wisconsin law requires it. A person other than a person named in the will to act as personal representative who has custody of the will must, within 30 days after learning of the death, file the will in the proper court or deliver it to the person named in the will to act as personal representative. A person named in the will to act as personal representative must, within 30 days after learning that they are named and learning of the death, file the will in the proper court unless the will has already been deposited with the court (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)).
- Choose the correct statewide form set. Informal administration usually starts with PR-1801, Application for Informal Administration; formal administration starts with PR-1901, Petition for Formal Administration. Florence County Local Rule 5(g) requires the statewide standard court forms, with an express carve-out for original wills filed with the Register in Probate.
- File with the Florence County Register in Probate. Local Rule 2(c) allows filing by mail to P.O. Box 410, Florence, WI 54121-0410, in person at 501 Lake Avenue, or through e-filing. Email filings are not accepted, and Local Rule 2(a) does not allow filing by fax.
- Handle e-filing and the fee correctly. Attorneys must e-file under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a) and Local Rule 5(a). Self-represented filers may opt in voluntarily or use paper methods under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c). Through October 31, 2026, the estate fee is $20 at $10,000 or less and 0.2 percent above that amount under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2; effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. The fee is paid when the inventory or other value statement is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). The separate e-filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
- Watch for the claims order and publication. In Wisconsin, the court in a formal administration, or the probate registrar in an informal administration, sets the claim-filing deadline by order at a date not less than three nor more than four months from the date of that order (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). Notice of that deadline is published as required by Wis. Stat. § 859.07(1) and § 879.05(4).
- Give any required agency notice. If the decedent or the decedent's spouse received medical assistance or long-term care benefits, or if other agency-notice facts apply, the personal representative must send the required written notice by registered or certified mail not less than 30 days before the claim deadline (Wis. Stat. § 859.07(2)).
- Use the court's scheduling and remote appearance rules. A court notice setting an appearance is treated as a scheduling order under Local Rule 5(b). Motions are scheduled through the judicial assistant before notice is sent under Local Rule 5(c). A Zoom appearance requires a written request using GF-306 and GF-307, and the court decides whether to allow it under Local Rule 5(d).
- After appointment, administer and close the estate. The authority document is PR-1810, Domiciliary Letters, on both informal and formal tracks. The inventory is due within a reasonable time and no later than six months after appointment unless the court changes the time (Wis. Stat. § 858.01). Informal administration closes by PR-1816 and appointment terminates six months after the statement is filed if no challenge or related proceeding is pending (Wis. Stat. § 865.16(2)); formal administration closes through final judgment and discharge forms.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Florence County
Florence County publishes no local probate packet or cover sheet. Its clerk of courts Court Forms page points users to wicourts.gov, and Local Rule 5(g) requires the statewide standard court forms adopted under Wis. Stat. § 758.18.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| PR-1801 | Application for Informal Administration |
| PR-1806 | Proof of Heirship (Informal and Formal Administration) |
| PR-1810 | Domiciliary Letters (Informal and Formal Administration), the personal representative's authority document on both tracks |
| PR-1811 | Inventory (Informal and Formal Administration) |
| PR-1816 | Personal Representative's Statement to Close Estate (Informal Administration) |
| PR-1831 | Transfer by Affidavit ($50,000 and Under), for the statewide route under Wis. Stat. § 867.03 |
| PR-1901 | Petition for Formal Administration |
The full statewide probate form set is Category 26 at https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All.
The Wisconsin Court System notes that some counties have additional county-specific forms where no standard form exists. Florence County publishes no local probate packet or cover sheet, so call the Florence County Register in Probate at (715) 528-3205 if you are unsure which statewide PR forms the office wants for your situation.
Local nuance
Florence County-specific considerations
| Local rule or office fact | What it means for a Florence County estate |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit with Forest County | Florence and Forest counties share one circuit under Wis. Stat. § 753.06(9)(c), but Florence County has its own courthouse and probate counter. File a Florence County estate in Florence. |
| Filing channels | Local Rule 2(c) allows filing by mail, in person or through e-filing. Email filings are not accepted. |
| No fax filing | The office has a fax number, but Local Rule 2(a) does not allow filing court papers by fax except for traffic pleas. |
| Standard forms | Local Rule 5(g) requires statewide standard court forms adopted under Wis. Stat. § 758.18. Original wills filed with the Register in Probate are excepted from the rule's format requirement. |
| Remote appearance requests | Local Rule 5(d) uses written requests for Zoom on GF-306 and GF-307. Telephone appearances require court permission for extenuating circumstances. |
| Scheduling | Local Rule 5(b) treats court notices setting appearances as scheduling orders. Local Rule 5(c) requires motions to be scheduled through the judicial assistant before they are noticed. |
| Payment methods | Local Rule 2(b) allows payment in US currency, personal check, money order, certified check or online by credit or debit card, and does not accept coins for amounts over one dollar. |
| Proposed orders | Local Rule 5(f) gives opposing counsel five business days to object to a proposed order, findings, conclusions of law or judgment unless the court directs otherwise. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| April 11, 2024 | Florence County Circuit Court Rules were restated, amended and created, and all prior local court rules were vacated. The current rules cover filing channels, the statewide standard forms requirement, remote appearances and motion scheduling. |
| January 1, 2026 | Legal Action of Wisconsin and Judicare Legal Aid merged into one organization, Legal Action of Wisconsin. Eligible Wisconsin residents now use the statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the Florence County Register in Probate at 501 Lake Avenue or by mail to P.O. Box 410. The register of deeds is in the same courthouse, which matters when survivorship marital property or another real estate interest can be cleared through that office rather than through a full administration under Wis. Stat. § 867.046. | Sunset identifies accounts and assets before the spouse chooses a court filing or a register of deeds step, then prepares the estate settlement packet for the Florence counter. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Local Rule 2(c) allows filing by mail, in person or through e-filing, and email filing is not accepted. A self-represented filer may use paper methods under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c). If an appearance is needed, request Zoom in writing on GF-306 and GF-307 under Local Rule 5(d). | Sunset helps find the accounts from outside Wisconsin, builds the Florence County packet and connects the family with a Wisconsin probate attorney if a hearing or dispute is likely. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually makes counsel important. The original will must be handled under Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1). Hearings are set by court notice under Local Rule 5(b), motions are scheduled before notice under Local Rule 5(c), and real estate paperwork may need to be recorded in the same courthouse after judgment. | Sunset gathers the asset picture, prepares the probate packet and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the home sale and closing steps of the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it gives | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Florence County Clerk of Courts | Local court office page with the courthouse address, P.O. Box, phone, fax, hours and link to the county's circuit court rules. | https://www.florencecountywi.com/departments/clerk-of-courts/ |
| Florence County Circuit Court Rules | Local rules for filing channels, standard court forms, remote appearances, motion scheduling, payment methods and proposed orders. | https://www.florencecountywi.com/i/f/files/2024%20Signed%20Florence%20Rules.pdf |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin | Wisconsin Court System self-help guide prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association for informal administration. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/docs/probateguide.pdf |
| Wisconsin Court System self-help law center, probate | State probate self-help page with links to the informal administration guide, statewide probate forms and county Register in Probate information. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/probate.htm |
| Circuit court probate forms | Statewide court-approved probate forms in the PR series. | https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access | Statewide public case search for Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases. | https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Wisconsin residents. Statewide intake is (855) 947-2529. | https://legalaction.org/ |
| Wisconsin State Law Library, Florence County legal resources | County legal resources page listing the Register in Probate, clerk of courts, register of deeds and legal assistance resources. | https://wilawlibrary.gov/topics/county.php?c=Florence&a=a&l=l&f=f&r=r |
When to hire an attorney
In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). Informal administration under Wis. Stat. ch. 865 runs administratively before the probate registrar rather than as a proceeding in court, which is why the Wisconsin Court System publishes a personal representative's guide to informal estate administration and why probate registrar staff have a statutory duty to advise, within their competence, on preparing those documents (Wis. Stat. § 865.065(2)). The court system's self-help guide, prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association, states that formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, that informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, and that summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. Summary settlement and summary assignment also carry their own express right to appear in person (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)). In Florence County, counsel is especially useful when real estate must be sold, an heir objects, a claim is disputed or the personal representative lives outside Wisconsin; Local Rule 5(a) also requires attorneys to be registered e-filers. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can see what exists before choosing an estate settlement path in Florence County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture and family information into a county-ready probate packet using the Wisconsin PR forms and the Florence County filing details.
Find a local probate attorney. When a formal administration, home sale, objection or disputed claim makes counsel important, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery and attorney connection without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Florence County?
File with the Florence County Register in Probate at the Florence County Courthouse, 501 Lake Avenue, Florence, WI 54121. Mail goes to P.O. Box 410, Florence, WI 54121-0410. Wisconsin places administration in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
Florence County shares a circuit with Forest County. Do I have to go to Crandon?
No. Florence and Forest counties share one circuit under Wis. Stat. § 753.06(9)(c), but Florence County keeps its own courthouse and probate counter. A Florence County estate is filed in Florence.
When is the Florence County Register in Probate open?
The published hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call (715) 528-3205 before traveling, especially near a holiday or near closing time.
Can I mail a probate filing to Florence County, or do I have to e-file?
Local Rule 2(c) allows filing by mail, in person or through e-filing, and email filings are not accepted. Local Rule 2(a) does not allow filing by fax. Attorneys must e-file under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a) and Local Rule 5(a). Self-represented filers may opt in voluntarily or use paper methods under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c).
What does it cost to open an estate in Florence County?
The estate fee is statewide. Through October 31, 2026, Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2 sets the fee at $20 when property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value when it is more. Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. The fee is paid when the inventory or other value statement is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). The separate e-filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
Does Florence County have its own probate forms?
No. Florence County publishes no local probate packet or cover sheet. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms, including PR-1801 for informal administration, PR-1810 for Domiciliary Letters and PR-1901 for formal administration. The statewide form index is Category 26 at https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All.
Can I look up a Florence County estate case online?
Yes. Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, is the statewide public case search at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. A probate case may have a PR or IN case-type code.
Can I appear by Zoom in a Florence County probate hearing?
Possibly, if the court allows it. Local Rule 5(d) requires a written request to appear remotely by Zoom using CCAP forms GF-306 and GF-307 within a reasonable time before the event. Telephone appearances are not allowed without the court's permission for extenuating circumstances.
Do I need a lawyer for a Florence County estate?
In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). The Wisconsin Court System's self-help guide says formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, and summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. If the estate involves a home sale, an objection, a disputed claim or an out-of-state personal representative, talk with a Wisconsin probate attorney.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.